अस्ति चैतादृशं कर्म येन पुत्रशतं भवेत्। यदि शक्नोषि तत्कर्तुमथ वक्ष्यामि सोमक
There does exist such a rite by which one may obtain a hundred sons. If you are able to perform it, O Somaka, I will tell you.
कार्यं वा यदि वाऽकार्यं येन पुत्रशतं भवेत्। कृतमेवेति तद्विद्धि भगवान्प्रब्रवीतु मे
Whether it is proper or improper, whatever brings about a hundred sons, let it be considered as already done; let the revered one declare it to me.
यजस्व जन्तुना राजंस्त्वं मया वितते क्रतौ। ततः पुत्रशतं श्रीमद्भविष्यत्यचिरेण ते
Sacrifice your son, O king, in the ritual I will arrange; then, before long, you will have a hundred illustrious sons.
वपार्या हूयमानायां धूममाघ्राय मातरः। ततस्ताः सुमहावीर्याञ्जनयिष्यन्ति ते सुतान्
When the offering of the entrails is made and the mothers inhale the smoke, then those women, endowed with great vigor, will bear sons for you.
तस्यामेव तु ते जन्तुर्भविता पुनरात्मजः। उत्तरे चास्य सौवर्णं लक्ष्म पार्श्वे भविष्यति
In that very woman, your son will be born again; and on his side there will be a golden mark.
ब्रह्मन्यद्यद्यथा कार्यं तत्कुरुष्व तथातथा। पुत्रकामतया सर्वंकरिष्यामि वचस्तव
Whatever is to be done according to the Brahman's instruction, do it accordingly; out of desire for sons, I will carry out all your words.
ततः स याजयामास सोमकं तेन जन्तुना। मातरस्तु बलातपुत्रमपाकार्षुः कृपान्विताः
Then, with that son, Somaka was made to perform the sacrifice; but the mothers, overcome with compassion, forcibly pulled their son away.
हा हताः स्मेति वाशन्त्यस्तीव्रशोकसमाहताः। तं मातरः प्त्यकर्षन्गृहीत्वा दक्षिणे करे
Crying out, 'We are ruined!' and overwhelmed by intense grief, the mothers seized him by his right hand and dragged him.
सव्ये पाणौ गृहीत्वा तु याजकोपि स्म कर्षति। कुररीणामिवार्तानामपाकृष्य तु तं सुतम्
The officiating priest, taking hold of his left hand, also pulled him, as distressed as the cries of grieving curlews, dragging the son away.
विशस्य चैनं विधिवद्वपामस्य जुहाव सः। वपायां हूयमानायां गन्धमाघ्राय मातरः
Then, according to the rite, he killed him and offered his entrails; as the offering was made, the mothers inhaled the fragrance.
आर्ता निपेतुः सहसा पृथिव्यां कुरुनन्दन। सर्वाश्च गर्भानलबंस्ततस्ताः पार्थिवाङ्गनाः
Afflicted, they suddenly fell to the ground, O descendant of Kuru; and all those royal women conceived from the fire of pregnancy.
ततो दशसु मासेषु सोमकस्य विशांपते। जज्ञे पुत्रशतं पूर्णं तासु सर्वासु भारत
Then, after ten months, O lord of the people, a full hundred sons were born to Somaka from all those women, O Bharata.
जन्तुर्ज्येष्ठः समभवज्जनित्र्यामेव पूर्ववत्। स तासामिष्ट एवासीन्न तथाऽन्ये निजाः सुताः
The eldest offspring was born from the mother, just as before; he alone was cherished among them, not so the other sons.
तच्च लक्षणमस्यासीत्सौवर्णं पार्श्व उत्तरे। तस्मिन्पुत्रशते चाग्र्यः स बभूव गुणैरपि
He bore a golden mark on his northern side; among the hundred sons, he excelled in virtues as well.
ततः स लोकमगमत्सोमकस्य गुरुः परम्। अन्वक्षमेव पश्चात्तु सोमकोप्यगमत्परम्
Then, the revered teacher of Somaka departed to the other world; soon after, Somaka too went to the highest realm.
अथ तं नरके घोरे पच्यमानं ददर्श सः। तमपृच्छत्किमर्थं त्वं नरके पच्यसे द्विज
There, he saw his teacher suffering in a dreadful hell; he asked him, 'For what reason are you being tormented in hell, O twice-born?'
तमब्रवीद्गुरुः सोऽथ पच्यमानोऽग्निना भृशम्। त्वं मया याजितो राजंस्तस्येदं कर्मणः फलम्
While being intensely burned by fire, the teacher replied, 'You had me perform a sacrifice, O king; this is the result of that act.'
एतच्छ्रुत्वा स राजर्षिर्धर्मराजमथाब्रवीत्। अहमत्र प्रवेक्ष्यामि मुच्यतां मम याजकः
Hearing this, the royal sage addressed the Lord of Justice: 'I will enter here; let my priest be released.'
मत्कृते हि महाभागः पच्यते नरकाग्निना। `सोहमात्मानमाधास्ये नरके मुच्यतां गुरुः
For my sake, O illustrious one, he is being burned by the fire of hell; therefore, I shall place myself in hell—let the teacher be freed.
नान्य कर्तुः फलं राजन्नुपभुङ्क्ते कदाचन। इमानि तव दृश्यन्ते फलानि वदतांवर
No one else ever partakes of the fruit of another's action, O king; these are your own results, best of speakers.
पुण्यान्न कामये लोकानृतेऽहं ब्रह्मवादिनम्। इच्छाम्यहमननैव सह वस्तुं सुरालये
I do not desire heavenly worlds gained by merit if I must abandon the knower of Brahman; I wish only to dwell together with him in the abode of the gods.
नरके वा धर्मराज कर्मणाऽस्य समो ह्यहम्। पुण्यापुण्यफलं देव सममस्त्वावयोरिदम्
Whether in hell, O Lord of Justice, or by his deeds, I am his equal; let the fruit of merit and demerit be the same for both of us, O god.
यद्येवमीप्सितं राजन्भुङ्खास्य सहितः फलम्। तुल्यकालं सहानेन पश्चात्प्राप्स्यसि सद्गतिम्
If this is your wish, O king, then enjoy the result together with him; after an equal period with him, you will attain the highest state.
स चकार तथा सर्वं राजा राजीवलोचनः। क्षीणपापश्च तस्मात्स विमुक्तो गुरुणा सह
The lotus-eyed king did exactly so; freed from sin, he was released together with his teacher.
लेभे कामाञ्शुभान्राजन्कर्मणा निर्जितान्स्वयम्। सह तेनैव विप्रेण गुरुणा स गुरुप्रियः
By his own deeds, the king attained all auspicious desires, together with that Brahmin teacher, for he was devoted to his guru.
एष तस्याश्रमः पुण्यो य एषोग्रे विराजते। क्षान्त उष्यात्र षड्रात्रं प्राप्नोति सुगतिं नरः
This is the sacred hermitage of that one, which shines here in its greatness; whoever stays here for six nights attains a blessed state.
एतस्मिन्नपि राजेन्द्र वत्स्यामो विगतज्वराः। षड्रात्रं नियतात्मानः स़ज्जीभव कुरूद्वह
Let us also, O king of kings, dwell here free from distress; with self-restraint, remain here for six nights, O best of the Kurus.
सोमकस्याश्रमे पुण्ये धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः। षड्रात्रमुष्य नियतो भ्रात्रादिभिररिंदमः। तस्मान्निर्गम्य सहसा दिशं प्रायात्तथोत्तराम्
In the holy hermitage of Somaka, the righteous king Yudhishthira, steadfast with his brothers and others, stayed for six nights; then, departing from there, he swiftly went northward.
बहुदूरं ततो गत्वा वनं तत्र मनोहरम्। बहुपष्पफलाकीर्णं महानद्युपशोभितम्
After traveling a great distance, they came to a delightful forest, filled with many flowers and fruits, and adorned by a great river.
दृष्ट्वा पप्रच्छ राजाऽसौ लोमशं मुनिसत्तमम्। किमिदं दृश्यते रम्यं वनं बहुमृगद्विजम्
Seeing it, the king asked the eminent sage Lomasha, 'What is this charming forest, filled with many beasts and birds?'